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White Collars Easy to Dupe, Says Ultrascan

According to a research by Ultrascan, a Netherlands-based IT fraud agency, white-collar professionals, including doctors, engineers and architects, are being cheated by e-mail fraudsters who collect their personal information through conference Websites and asked them to chip in fake ventures, as reported by Timesonline on March 17, 2008.

Besides, the report also disclosed that contrary to a common belief that poorly educated and financially weak people are easy to con, rich and influential professionals are the most susceptible.

The report also concluded that most of those who have gone through some grief are more potential victims of fraudsters. Analysis of 362 most badly hit cases, which altogether account for over £150,000, found that 85% of them had suffered from a parental trauma like death of parents or spiteful separation.

Out of 362, 308 victims reported that they experienced child-parent trauma from whom 17 were directors of stock exchange listed companies, two police commissioners of metropolitan cities, and some businessmen.

Including this, advance free fraud is also employed by impostor in which victim is first asked to pay for the benefits. These scams are very common and tricked victims with around £2.1 Billion in 2007. Moreover, a 3% rise was noticed in number of fraudsters in 2007 as compared to 2006 with 300,000 imposters worldwide.

In one incident, a victim (who lost his father at the age of 12 and has potential to get doctorate degree and helping in his family business) lost $500,000 in a period of seven years. His business partner and cousin said that he still believes that imposters were genuine.

Interestingly, officials at Ultrascan clarified that scammers intentionally avoid less educated and financially weak people because they think their decisions are volatile and very quickly accept that they have been cheated.

Frank Engelsman, expert in advance free fraud, Ultrascan, said that doctors are easily lured with schemes to do well in their profession, as reported by Timesonline on March 17, 2008.

Engelsman further added that scams requesting for help to poor and asking help for humanitarian cause fail to make victims while scams which make readers to trust their capabilities and experience successfully dupe people.

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